Hydronic heated driveways, Ontario

A driveway that clears itself.

SunFlow designs and installs hydronic snow-melting systems for Ontario homes. Two sensors watch for snow, a boiler warms a water and glycol mix, and tubing under the surface melts what lands on it.

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How it works

  1. 01

    It watches the weather.

    A sensor beside the driveway picks up falling moisture when the temperature is below freezing. A second sensor in the slab reads the surface temperature.

  2. 02

    The boiler warms the fluid.

    A dedicated high-efficiency boiler in your mechanical room heats a mix of water and non-toxic propylene glycol.

  3. 03

    Heat travels under the surface.

    The fluid is pumped through one continuous loop of oxygen-barrier PEX tubing. A manifold keeps it as warm at the far corner as it is near the house.

  4. 04

    Snow melts and the surface dries.

    The system only runs when both sensors agree that snow is coming or already there. It holds the slab just above freezing, so snow turns to water and the warm surface dries off.

Cross-section of a SunFlow hydronic driveway A sensor post beside the driveway, the surface layer, bedding, a row of PEX tubes in the slab, insulation, a compacted gravel base and native soil, each drawn with its own material texture. A boiler in the mechanical room sends warm fluid through the tubes. As the page scrolls, the tubes warm and the snow on the surface melts away. Snow sensor SurfaceBeddingPEX loopInsulationBaseSoil In-slab sensor Mechanical room Boiler

Technology

Three ways to heat a driveway. SunFlow installs one of them.

Heated driveways run on either warm fluid in tubing (hydronic) or electric resistance cable, which also comes pre-laid in mats. SunFlow builds hydronic systems only.

  • HydronicMore involved to set up, because it needs a boiler and tubing. In return, SunFlow's guide says it costs less to run and spreads heat more evenly across a large driveway.
  • Electric cableOften cheaper to install, but it can cost significantly more to run on Ontario's power grid.
  • Electric matThe easiest to install. In SunFlow's experience mats are slower to respond in deep freezes and have a shorter lifespan.

Compare the three in detail

Cost

What a heated driveway costs in Ontario.

Every SunFlow driveway is priced after a site visit, because size, coverage, site conditions, electrical needs, the surface and the complexity of the job all move it.

  • Request a quoteYour price comes from SunFlow after a site visit and a look at your driveway.
  • From about $80,000Where most SunFlow residential projects begin, depending on size, design, materials and complexity.
  • $2 to $5 per snow eventApproximate running cost for a standard two-car executive driveway, from SunFlow's 2024 price guide.
Request a quoteMeasure your driveway

Installation

Four stages, one project manager.

  1. Consultation

    SunFlow learns about the property and how you use it. Most consultations take less than 45 minutes.

  2. Design

    The system is engineered around your grading, materials, drainage, landscape and daily use.

  3. Installation

    Tubing goes in before the surface is poured or laid, with your project manager overseeing each stage.

  4. Commissioning

    Before winter, every component is tested and calibrated.

See the full installation process

Finishes

The surface is your choice.

SunFlow lists eight finishes as available and compatible with its systems. The final product is chosen for each property.

  • Brushed concrete
  • Architectural concrete
  • Exposed aggregate concrete
  • Sponge-finish concrete
  • Contemporary rectangular pavers
  • Contemporary large-format pavers
  • Textured modular pavers
  • Modern slab-style pavers

Finished surfaces in winter

Concrete, interlock and asphalt staying clear while the snow sits on the lawn.

See the gallery
  • A two-car concrete driveway in front of a red-brick house, bare and damp while light snow falls and the lawn on both sides sits under fresh snow.

    Concrete driveway clear and dry while the snow stays on the lawn

  • A charcoal herringbone paver driveway with a darker border, completely clear of snow between high snowbanks, leading to a stone house with a double garage.

    Herringbone interlock driveway, clear between the snowbanks

  • A long curving black asphalt driveway, wet and free of snow, cutting through a snow-covered front yard lined with spruce trees toward a bungalow.

    Heated asphalt driveway running clear through a snowy yard

  • A charcoal paver walkway and stone-capped steps leading to a front door, bare and wet while the garden beds and railings on both sides are heaped with snow.

    Heated front walkway and steps, clear after a snowfall

Next step

Start with a conversation about your property.

Most consultations take less than 45 minutes and come with no obligation. Bring rough driveway measurements and the surface you have in mind, and SunFlow takes it from there.

Request a quoteEstimate your cost first